Shovel



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. M. MYERS.

SHQVEL. I No. 340,602. Patented Apr 2'7, 1886..

WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

M ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Phnhlilhogrlphor. Wzmlnfbn. D. C.

(no Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. M. MYERS.

SHOVEL. No. 340,602. Patented Apr. 27, 1886.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

. I k N- I W f ATTORNEYS.

N. PETER HMO-W. Wm D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY M.MYERS, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOVEL.

.iPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,602, dated April 27, 1886. I Application filed February 10, 1885. Renewed October 22, 1855. Serial No. 180,633. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY M. MYERs, of Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shovels, the same being a new article of manufacture; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in a new article of n1auufactureto wit, a shovel having lengthwise of the blade and of the straps for receiving the wooden handle a determined thickness, which gradually diminishes toward the side edges of said blade and straps, whereby the uneven wear of the shovel-blade is compensated for and greater strength is obtained for the handlestraps, as will hereinafter more fully and at large appear.

To enable others skilled in the art with which my invention is most nearly connected to make and use it, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a top view or plan of a shovel blank partially formed. Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections of the same at lines 1 and 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the shovel, representing it when finished. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, in perspective, at line 3 in Fig. 4.

In making my new article of manufacture I use any of the known forms of blanks for shovels adapted to be plated or rolled, which blanks are plated or rolled in such manner that the shovel-blade A is of a determined thickness lengthwise of the blade and of the handle'straps B B, and gradually diminishing in thickness from the center of the edges 0 (l of said blade and straps, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The blank thus made is then cut, swaged, and finished in the manner known to the art. A

The essential feature of my new article of manufacture consists in making the shovelblade thick at its center and throughout its length, and diminishing in thickness toward each edge 0 O, as shown in Fig. 2, in contradistinction to the blade being of uniform thickness, and in contradistinction to the blade being thick at its upper edge and gradually diminishing in thickness to its point.

The advantageof my new article of manufacture consists in uniformity of wear of the entering end of the shovel-blade, and imparting strength to the blade and handle-straps at the place subjected to the greatest strain and wear, and accomplishing the same with a minimum of metal and maximum of weight, The greatest wear of the shovel-blade is always at the center of the entering end of the blade; hence it wears away, as indicated by the dotted line D in Fig. 4, which wearing away in the shovel-blade is very objection able, it being often impossible to shovel to a straight line, or cut down to a straight line, in the operation of digging and shoveling when the entering end of the blade is worn away, as indicated in Fig. 42 by the dotted line D. The greatest strain on the shovel-blade, and also on the straps, is always at, along, and on the longitudinal centerli ne of the blade and straps; hence it will be apparent that the greatest thickness of metal should be at that part of the blade and straps.

By making the handle-straps as hereinbefore described sufficient metal is obtained for the receptionof the rivet-heads, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby the wooden handle E may be secured in place without the unsightlyindentations in the handle-straps caused by the drawing action of the rivet-s, and a smooth evenly-finished handle is obtained, having increased strength and durability, with handsome finish.

Having thus described my improvement, what I claim as of my invention 1s- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a shovel,

the blade A and handle-straps B B of greatest HENRY M. MYERS.

\Vitnesses:

JONATHAN GHRIEST, IVINEIELD b. MOORE. 

